Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Dik-Dik of Namibia

The Kirk's dik-dik is
a small antelope native to Eastern Africa and one of four species of dik-dik
antelope. It is believed to have six subspecies and possibly a seventh existing
in southwest Africa. Dik-diks are herbivores, typically of a fawn color that
aids in camouflaging themselves in savannah habitats. They are also capable of reaching speeds of up
to 42 kilometers per hour. The lifespan of Kirk's dik-dik in the wild is
typically 5 years, but may surpass 10 years. In captivity males have been known to live up
to 16.5 years, while females have lived up to 18.4 years.

Dik-diks are some of the world's smallest antelopes, with
the largest, the Kirk's dik-dik, standing between 14 and 18 inches tall and
weighing no more than 7.2 kg. Female dik-diks tend to be 1 to 2 pounds heavier
than males. Dik-diks are dainty creatures with a pointed, mobile snout, large
eyes and ears, prominent preorbital glands, pipestem legs, hare-like hind limbs
that are significantly larger than their forelimbs, and a vestigial tail. Their
coats, depending upon their habitat, range from grey to gray-brown with tan
flanks, limbs, and an erectile head crest and whitish eye rings, ear lining,
underparts, and rump".

Similar to other dwarf antelopes, Kirk's dik-diks exist in
monogamous pairs on territories. Territories are marked with dung and urine
that are deposited in a ritual that is performed to help helps maintain pair
bonds. During the ritual, the female will excrete, followed by the male, which
samples the female's urine stream to check her reproductive capacity. He paws
over and then marks his dung and urine over her deposit. Finally, the pair
marks nearby twigs with secretions from their pre-orbital glands. Kingon 1982
states that, "The male courts the female by running up behind her with his
head and neck stretched and his muzzle pointing out in front. Copulation begins
with the male standing on his hind legs behind the female and waving his
forelegs at an acute angle to his own body in the air over her back". Copulation
typically occurs anywhere between three and five times within a 9-hour period.